Tokyo: 8 injured after car drives into New Year’s crowd

Abrar Hussain of DOT
At least eight people were injured, one seriously, after a vehicle ploughed into crowds celebrating New Year’s Day in Tokyo in the early hours of yesterday.
A police spokesman revealed that the driver had been detained and national broadcaster NHK stated that the man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The driver was identified as one Kazuhiro Kusakabe, 21, from Osaka, a major city about 400 km (250 miles) southwest of Tokyo, NHK reported.
The broadcaster said the suspect had initially described the incident as an “act of terror” but later claimed the attack was ‘in retaliation’ for capital punishment. The incident happened shortly after midnight local time on Monday in the popular tourist area of Harajuku, near Meiji Shrine, in central Tokyo.
“I can’t believe it, this is a place I’m familiar with, so it’s very shocking,” said Tatsuhiro Yaegashi, a 27-year-old worker in the area.
The street was closed to vehicles at the time of the incident to accommodate the large number of pedestrians making their way to the shrine for New Year’s prayers. TV pictures of the scene on Tuesday showed a grey colored light vehicle used in the attack, positioned across the street.
The front of the vehicle was badly damaged and dozens of police and rescue officials were at the scene. The suspect fled from the scene and assaulted a passerby before he was captured 20 minutes later, NHK said. About 20 liters of kerosene were found in the vehicle.